Virginia ‘socialite’ mom arrested in FBI child porn sting after allegedly traveling to sexually abuse 8-year-old girl

45-year-old mother-of-two Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, 45, is a member of one of Virginia’s most prominent families which helped found one of Richmond’s largest law firms, known as Hunton, Andrews, Kurth and, according to the Daily Mail, Hoppe previously worked in child advocacy and support organizations and volunteered with a local Episcopal church in Charlottesville, where she lives, that is affiliated with the University of Virginia.

Hoppe is currently being held in Washington, DC on charges of distributing child porn, enticement of a minor, and attempted transportation of a minor with attempt to engage in sexual activity, and faces life in prison if convicted.

Hoppe was arrested outside a Warrenton, Virginia hotel on March 16 after messaging with an undercover agent for weeks.

The mother allegedly went to a fetish website where users discuss and exchange images of child sex abuse, using the screen name "titotori," and began an email chat with another user, who was an undercover FBI Task Force officer, according to the criminal complaint viewed by the outlet.

The complaint said that Hoppe told the agent she was a mother and wanted to talk about "taboo parenting."

The FBI agent said that he was the father of a young girl, after which Hoppe moved the conversation over to a social media app that encrypts messages, using the username "tori4fun."

"The agent asked Hoppe to verify she was 'safe' by sending an image of herself holding up her thumb near her breast. The photo showed her lifting her shirt up, exposing her bare breast and with her face partially visible, said the filing," the Daily Mail reported.

In a February 27 message exchange, Hoppe allegedly contacted the agent to ask about the abuse he was inflicting on his daughter, saying "what do you think your next step will be," and expressing interest in traveling to Washington, DC to abuse the fictitious daughter with the undercover agent.

She repeatedly told the undercover agent that she wanted to help him introduce sexual activity to his eight-year-old daughter. Around March 12, it was agreed that she would travel there from her home in Charlottesville.

"The agent asked Hoppe to verify she was 'safe' by sending an image of herself holding up her thumb near her breast. The photo showed her lifting her shirt up, exposing her bare breast and with her face partially visible, said the filing.

"I can't wait and then of course, putting her to bed and waking her up to do a few extra things will be so fun," Hoppe allegedly wrote in one of the messages.

Hoppe then suggested anal sex, later asking, "has she seen videos of little girls with her dad yet," and sent the undercover agent a 30-second clip of a "small-framed female who appears to be on a bed."

"The small female, who appears to be a minor, can only be seen from behind, and she is nude from the waist down," the complaint stated, later adding that a man is having sex with the female in the video.

On March 8, Hoppe allegedly texted to the agent regarding the daughter, "A great thing to do is wake her up by trying new things … that hazy/dreamlike state is perfect to introduce a variety of new things."

Four days later, while discussing plans for travel, Hoppe reportedly wrote, "If I were you, I'd start building up Thursday telling her that you know it's gonna be super fun we're gonna hang out with an old friend of yours. It's going to be the best night ever blah blah blah and then once I get there, obviously, it will take a slight turn."

On March 16, Hoppe allegedly sent three images of men having sex with prepubescent minors to the undercover agent, and later that day it was agreed that she would travel to Warrenton.

"Hoppe sent the UC (undercover officer) a photograph of a pink silk robe she would bring, with the message, 'Her big girl robe for tonight,'" the complaint stated.

While traveling to Warrenton, the Daily Mail stated Hoppe messaged "with horrific instructions and suggestions" to the undercover agent.

Hoppe was arrested at the hotel, claiming she was there to save the child from abuse. Officers found in Hoppe’s car a pink children’s bag holding lubricant, silk underwear, and a pink silk robe.

Hoppe’s ex-husband, Joel Hoppe, a magistrate judge in the Western District of Virginia, is now seeking to modify their divorce paperwork and obtain full custody of their two daughters.

Judge Hoppe filed for divorce from the mother in May of 2020, eight months after the couple separated, stating in a five-page complaint that she had committed adultery on multiple occasions and had "attempted to engage other men and women for sexual encounters."

"Upon reasonable belief, defendant has brought a sexual partner into marital residence…. while the minor children were present. The aforesaid behavior exposes the minor children to risk of emotional harm," the divorce complaint stated.

His filing states: "A Final Order of Divorce was entered on May 11, 2021 resolving the issues of spousal support and child support. A final Custody and Visitation Order was entered on March 8, 2022."

"The defendant was taken into federal custody on March 16, 2023 on felony criminal charges involving minors."

"The criminal charges, the facts underlying the charges, and the consequences of the charges constitute a material change in circumstances regarding custody, visitation, spousal support and child support," the filing continued, asking for the arrangement to be modified.